Review: WWF/WWE King of the Ring 1998 DVD

Brett Mix’s- WWF King of the Ring 1998 Review:

 

“Good God! Good God! Will somebody stop the damn match! -Jim Ross
 
 
-WWF King of the Ring 1998 took place on Sunday, June 28th, 1998 at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in front of 17,087 fans.
 

-This was the 6th Annual King of the Ring event.

-Sable comes out for an in-ring promo with Vince McMahon and the Stooges.

-This King of the Ring produced the most famous Hell in a Cell match of all time, pitting The Undertaker against Mankind. A couple of minutes into the match, The Undertaker threw Mankind off of the top of the cell, which was a full 16 feet, onto the Spanish Announce table. The footage of that fall has since become one of the most used and viewed video in professional wrestling history.

-Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler did commentary for the first time together at this event.
 
 
 
-Now onto the PPV……………
 
 
 

 
1) Opening Contest- The Headbangers (Mosh and Thrasher) and TAKA Michinoku vs Kaientai (Funaki, Men’s Teioh, and Dick Togo)

The crowd was pretty lively for this opening match and for good reason as it was very fast paced which made it highly enjoyable.

Heabanger Thrasher started off. Thrasher and Men’s Teioh begin and he drops him with a sidewalk slam with a lot of impact after dodging some rights. Teioh swung bac and ducked a clothesline but was caught by Thrasher who dropped him with a powerslam. Thrasher hit a dropkick.

The fans were pretty excited for this event chanting things I can’t even make out.

A dropkick to Togo who was tagged in. Mosh comes in and drops his bodyweight down on Dick Togo. Taka Michinoku tags in and he drops his weight (all 100 pounds) down on Togo. Taka

Michinoku was the WWF Light Heavyweight Champion at the time and he chopped Togo who the team was isolating by now. Taka Michinoku off the top hit a missile dropkick.
Taka Michinoku hit a springboard splash onto Kaientai on the outside. Togo chops down Taka and now Kaientai temporarily has the advantage. Taka Michinoku shows outstanding leg strength elevating Togo away but he still managed a baseball slide into a headscissors taking down Taka on the outside. Taka recieves a thrust kick.

Taka Michinoku reversses an irishwhip but is planted with a ddt by Teioh. Funaki comes in and drops Taka Michinoku with a dropkick. Funaki and Togo drop Taka Michinoku with a nice double team plant to the canvas floor. Taka Michinoku elbows out of a waistlock and Togo jumps out of the corner dropping Taka Michinoku with a flying headbutt. Funaki tags in and Taka Michinoku ducks so Funaki hits Teioh.

Taka Michinoku delivers a spinning heel kick catching Funaki in the face. Thrasher and Mosh both get tagged in and they double team Kaientai and get away with it as Doan loses control of the match. Funaki slams Thrasher to the canvas and he goes for an elbow but the Headbanger moves out of the way and slams him to the mat. Taka Michinoku gets the tag and off the ropes the Headbangers lift up Taka and he drives right on top of Teioh. Michinoku

In the end at Michinoku pinned Funaki after a Michinoku Driver at 6:44.

This match was a fine fast paced opener. 
 

 

 

** 1/4

 
 
 
2) “The World’s Most Dangerous Man” Ken Shamrock vs “Double J” Jeff Jarrett (w/Tennessee Lee) in a King of the Ring Semi-Finals match
 

They were trying to build on the possibility of a Severn-Shamrock final.

Ken Shamrock begins things here right away irishwhipping Jeff Jarrett to the ropes and off the ropes he ducks a clothesline before running into a reverse elbow from Shamrock. Ken ducks a leapfrog and catches Jarrett with a knee to the head. Shamrock throws Jeff Jarrett to the buckle amd delivers more hard shots. Shamrock is reversed into the corner himself but he fires out with a clothesline bringing Jeff Jarrett down.

Double J in mid-ring is hit with a snapshot vertical suplex.

Ross points out both guys like to target the lowerbody, Jeff Jarrett with for the figure four and Shamrock for the ankle lock. Before Kurt Angle, Ken Shamrock loved his ankle lock. Jeff Jarrett scores with a dropkick off the ropes and now Double J runs into a thrust kick by Shamrock catching Jarrett in the face.

Shamrock clotheslines Jeff Jarrett over the top rope to the floor.

Shamrock throws Jeff Jarrett into the steps. Shamrock doesen’t allow Jeff Jarrett his time out that he called for and Lee holds Shamrock’s leg and Double J was able to chopblock Shamrock down and he drops his weight on the ankle.

Jeff Jarrett focused on Shamrock’s injured ankle to soften him up for the inevitable figure four. Jeff Jarrett drops his weight down on the leg and delivers kicks to the knee and torks the knee in the corner of the ring. Jeff Jarrett distracts the official and Lee slams Shamrock’s ankle into the post.

Double J sends Shamrock into the buckle. Double J irishwhips him to the buckle and he walks into a big elbow shot by Shamrock. Shamrock delivers a flying elbow and kick to the head of Jarrett.

Shamrock picks up Double J and hits a powerslam off the ropes scoring a nearfall. Shamrock hits a headscissors and goes into the Ankle lock. Double J quickly taps out.

So in the end at Shamrock forced Jarrett to submit with a Ankle Lock 5:29 to advance to the finals of the tournament.

Tennessee Lee gets a suplex after the match for good measure.

This match was pretty good, it featured some fine action, short and to the point.
 
 
** 3/4
 
 

 

3) The Rock vs Dan “The Beast” Severn in a King of the Ring Semi-Finals match

 

I`m guessing the only reason Severn made it this far was because of the idea that it might be Shamrock vs Severn in the finals. While that may appeal to some people, it was as interesting of an idea as Savio Vega vs Mabel in the finals.

The Rock was becoming extremely over by this point. His mannerisms made this match fun, the same way Austin`s did in 1996 and 1997 when he was getting over in the very same way. By displaying a ton of charisma.

The Rock is taken down early by Severn. Rock grabs the ropes and tells the official to make Severn back off.

Dan Severn ties up with Rock as a “Rocky Sucks” chant breaks out. Severn targetted the knee and applies a halfcrab until Rock gets to the ropes again and he is frustrated.

Rock with a shortcut uses his righthand to drop Dan in the corner. Rock couldn’t match Severn on an amateur level so he goes to the brawling. Severn sized him up and took down Rock with a fireman’s carry. Severn goes to the elbow and slaps on an armbar working on the joint of Rock. Dan Severn with a modified choke in the armbar and again Rock reaches the ropes forcing Dan Severn to break his hold.

Rock kicks at Dan Severn and drops him with a hard clothesline. Rock starts to lay the Smack Down on Dan Severn after he mocks him which the crowd eats up.
Fans were starting to like The Rock.

Rock hits a suplex and gets a two. The Rock stomps on Dan Severn like only he does. Rock throws scientific wrestling out the window and Severn from the mat throws a punch as Rocky was frustrating the grappler.

Rock answered back with another hard right. Rock off the ropes hits a shoulder block and both men fall down after that collision.
Mark Henry and Godfather distract the official while D-Lo wearing a vest on his chest drops Severn with a frogsplash. Rock gets the win and the fans love it.

In the end at The Rock pinned Severn after D’Lo Brown interfered and hit a ‘Lo Down on Severn at 4:25 to advance to the KOTR finals to meet Shamrock.

People were starting to get behind The Rock`s cocky Heel Character more and more around this time as it was noticeable throughout this match as it was clear who the fans wanted to advance here.

This match was very basic.
 

* 1/4
 
 

4) Too Much (Brian Christopher and Scott Taylor) vs Al Snow and Head (w/Jerry Lawler as Special Guest Referee)

 

Lawler and his hatred for ECW and the love for his SON was the story of this match.

Ross was alone on commentary which made this even more hilarious.

Al Snow was very over but if the crowd were dead for any match on the night it was this one for obvious reasons.

Al Snow drops Scotty and he talks to head in the corner. Brian Christopher tags in.

Lawler acts as official here and this was the first time since the original King of the Ring he wasn’t actually wrestling in a match.

Brian Christopher is backed to the corner by Snow and King protects his son telling Snow to watch the hair pulling. Brian Christopher drops Snow after Lawler intentionally blocked a shot from Snow.

Lawler tells Head to stay in the corner. Great stuff.

Brian Christopher kicks at Snow and is launched kidneys first into the mat. Scotty on the apron hits Snow but he still manages to his a sunset flip to Brian Christopher off the top. Brian Christopher is covered and King took his time to check the shoulders as he counted slowly.
Brian Christopher is dropped by Snow who walks all the way to the entrance way and fires a charging clothesline. Scotty launched himself off the top rope springboarding onto Snow. In the ring Brian Christopher flies off the top hitting a missile dropkick onto Snow.

The crowd is completely dead.

Some of this is actually rather humerous though.

Too Much hits a double-atomic drop onto Snow.

Scotty held a reverse chinlock on Snow and Brian Christopher and Lawler taunted the fans.

Scotty kicks up and does a moonwalk to the corner before charging at Snow and kicking him in his head. Not Snow’s partner who has yet to make a tag.

Snow hit a belly to belly and Lawler shoves Scotty over so he could make a tag to Brian Christopher who drops Snow with a running bulldog.

Brian Christopher and Scotty are hit with a ddt from Snow who is fighting back. Snow tags in Head who the crowd are cheering for.

Now Snow uses head to drop Scotty.

Al Snow hits a Snowplow and King pretends he doesen’t see the cover. Snow drops Scotty and Brian Christopher grabs the head and gets the pin as Lawler was focusing on him.

You knew the Federation wasn’t very deep in talent with matches like this.

In the end Christopher pinned Head after attaching a bottle of Head & Shoulders to it at 8:26.

This was actually entertaining at times but it did drag. I mean it’s Al Snow and Head in a tag match and went over eight minutes in length. Do the math.

This was so bad it became hilarious.

 

Ultimately this match is summed up best by Ross at the end…

JR:”Well that is the first time we’ve seen that sort of business…..and it’ll be likely the last as well.”
 
 
3/4*

 

 

 

 
 
 
5) X-Pac (With Chyna) vs Owen Hart

 

 
These two guys actually wrestled each other at this event four years ago in the semi-finals of the tournament when the 1-2-3 Kid battled the Rocket. Now it’s X-Pac battling the Nugget this time around and this wasn’t quite as sharp as it was in 1994 even though they got a little longer to work.

D-X and The Nation had a great feud in 1998 so the crowd was hot for this match between two highly athletic competitior`s.

X-Pac before he had his own type of heat named after him was pretty over.

Owen drove X-Pac into the corner hard.

Owen Hart drops X-Pac with a back breaker. Hart drops Pac with a spinning heel kick.

Owen chops X-Pac before hitting a fisherman’s suplex with a bridge. Owen now with a gutwrench suplex. Nice to see some wrestling after a bit of brawling compared to their very aerial encounter in 94.

Owen brawls with Pac outside the ring sending him into the steel before suplexing him on the table.

Back in the ring Owen remains in control and drops off the top rope with a missile dropkick to X-Pac. Owen hit another bridge but got a two.
Owen has been dominating the entire time and now he holds a sleeper on X-Pac wearing him down. Owen Hart off the ropes scouted an initial spinning heel kick but X-Pac spinned his other leg around dropping Owen to the corner. X-Pac hits the Bronco Buster.

X-Pac slams Owen to the mat and goes up top but Owen catches him up there. Owen locks a front facelock onto Owen but X-Pac drops down and Owen falls to the mat.

Owen is busted open. Mark Henry splashed on X-Pac outside the ring and Ross oversold things. Chyna went up to Henry and so the two begin their feud.

Vader runs out and hits a splash on Henry and hilariously he falls after attacking Henry.

Chyna with a ddt to Owen, X-Pac covers and gets the win. Owen had a Sharpshooter on X-Pac before Chyna hit a ddt on Owen right on his bad eye.

So in the end X-Pac pinned Owen Hart after Chyna interfered and hit Owen with a DDT at 8:30.
Ross calls X-Pac “The Kid.” Owen was busted open after this one pretty bad.

Owen always seemed to look like a bitch whenever he faced DX, such a shame.

This match was pretty solid but the two were capable of a lot more.
 
 

** 1/2
 

 

 
 

6) The New Age Outlaws (Road Dogg and Billy Gunn) (w/Chyna) (c) vs The New Midnight Express (Bombastic Bob and Bodacious Bart) (W/Jim Cornette) for the WWF Tag Team Championship

 

 
This is the first time the WWF tag team Champions and the NWA tag team Champions have ever faced off. It’s a shame no one in attendance cared but I don’t really blame them.
Bart and Billy go at it which is pretty interesting given who they were.

A nice bridge out of a pinning attempt by Bart on Billy Gun. Billy took Bart inside out with a clothesline. Billy Gunn tells Bart to suck it and I think that might be crossing the line since in kayfabe they were siblings.
Road Dogg ducks a clothesline and leaps behind Bart and he rides Bart with a waistlock but Bob Holly catches him with a cheapshot. Holly drops Road Dogg with a hard shot and Cornette is screaming on the outside surely missing his real Express of the 80’s in the good old NWA. I could watch that team every day of my life.

More double team offense from this New Expresss and Holly drops an elbow on Road Dogg and gets a long two. Holly with a scoopslam. Holly from the top rope drops an elbow but Road Dogg kicks out.

The Express attempt to isolate the Road Dogg now.
Frequent tags and offense to Road Dogg. Road Dogg is taken down by Holly and he tells Road Dogg to suck it. Billy takes acception and no doesen’t do that, he jumps Holly from behind. (No, not like that)

Holly slaps a sleeper on Road Dogg wearing one half of the Outlaws down some more. Road Dogg eventually makes the hot tag to Billy who takes over.
Billy Gunn goes for a piledriver but Cornette comes in smacking Gunn in the back of the head. Billy still manages to kick out.

Chyna and Cornette get involved. Both Outlaws drop Holly with a hot shot.

The Outlaws win it.

In the end Billy Gunn pinned Bombastic Bob to retain the titles at 9:34.

This match was also solid, but like a lot of attitude era ppv matches, it dealt with a very dead crowd.
 

** 1/2
 
 
 

 

 

7) “The World’s Most Dangerous Man” Ken Shamrock vs The Rock in the 1998 King of the Ring Finals 

Chyna comes out for the third time in a row on the night and this time to do commentary with Hunter for this upcoming King of the Ring final match even though she doesen`t speak very much outside Spanish.

Hunter says he is bi during the match which explains a lot of things.

Ken Shamrock and The Rock had a great feud in 1998 and put together several matches on PPV in that time period, this being the best one.
The Rock had been Intercontinental Champion for a long while.
 
 
Ken Shamrock is thrown into the corner a couple of times. Rock is eventually thrown to the outside.
The pace to this one is fairly slow.

Rock went over to Triple H on commentary and he spit his water out at Rock.

Ken Shamrock uses the ref being distracts as an excuse to throw Rock around the gate and announce table. Rock with a lowblow regained some momentum and rakes the face of Shamrock. Rock back in the ring holds a front facelock on Shamrock.

Rock is hit with a vertical suplex by Ken Shamrock and he gets a two. Ken Shamrock is thrown to the floor.

Ken Shamrock reverses an irishwhip on the floor and Rock gets the barricade but comes storming out with a clothesline taking Shamrock down. Ken Shamrock is dropped across the steel. Rock hit a swinging neckbreaker on Shamrock in the ring. Rock hit a ddt on Shamrock after he started a comeback attempt.

Rock getting frustrated clobbered Shamrock in the head with a forearm shot and slapped on a reverse chinlock. Rock is extremely obvious when calling moves here in this hold.

Shamrock runs into a reverse elbow shot from Rock.

Ken Shamrock is slammed to the mat.

The Rock goes for the People’s Elbow which was getting extremely over by now.

Rock hits it. The place applauds.

Rock got only a two count and goes right back into a headlock down on the mat. Shamrock fights his way back up but Rock hits a tornado ddt on Shamrock but Shamrock kicks out again.
Ken Shamrock and Rock collide into one another and both men get up at nine. Rock runs into a high kick and Ken Shamrock hits a dropkick on Rock. Ken Shamrock hits a powerslam off the ropes but Rock kicks out.

Ken Shamrock ducks a clothesline and hits a fisherman’s suplex onto Rock. Rock with an uppercut comes back and throws Shamrock into the corner turnbuckle. Rock runs into a reverse elbow from Ken Shamrock in the other corner but Rock still manages a powerslam.

Jim Ross on commentary really seems to be over-selling basic moves like a Powerslam being “The Move” to potentially end the match.

Rock went for a ddt but Shamrock countered with a gutwrench suplex and a two. Ken Shamrock drops some rights onto Rock in the corner and the fatigue is setting in now, Rock pulls Ken Shamrock in and drops him with a clothesline. The Rock is dropped with a clothesline.

Triple H on commentary says that nobody is sitting down right now, and everybody in attendance was.

Rock hit a hotshot but Shamrock kicked out. Shamrock slaps on the Ankle Lock out of no where and Rock is forced to tap.

So in the end Ken Shamrock forced The Rock to submit with an Ankle Lock at 14:09 to become the sixth “official” King of the Ring.
I’m pretty sure the wrong guy won this match looking back on it now. Rocky had been getting the upperhand all year so this was the Federation’s way of giving Shamrock at least something.

Either way this was a good match in parts with a very slow pace.
 
 

** 1/4
 

 

 

8 ) The Undertaker vs Mankind in a Hell in a Cell Match 

 

When you just say the name “King of the Ring” a lot of people think of this match here and it`s not even apart of the annual tournament.
Mankind comes out as a tweener in a sense and climbs the cell right away which is interesting.
His biggest concern was how the hell could he possibly top the original Michaels vs Taker match.

He also brings a chair with him. Foley says in his book “Have a nice day” which is the best wrestling book of all time by the way, that he had a very bad ankle heading into this match and was worried about how that would come into effect during this violent match with The Deadman. Undertaker also had his share of injuries which make this paticular peformance from both men that much more memorable.

Mick was so worried about his performance here, he probably should of been more concerned with his life and his family. 
 
Undertaker came out to a HUGE POP and met Mick on top of the Cell and this rivalry had been going on for more then two years.

The hatred was evident from both men without this meeting on top of the cell, but I thought this was a unique and ENTERTAINING way to start this type of match. Everyone in attendance felt the same way as most people in the crowd stood up knowing they were witnessing something special.

Foley and Taker exchanged blows on top and the Cell actually broke open because of there weight up there which combined for well over 600 pounds.
Both men were shocked as was the crowd. They tried to work around it and did a good job all things considered to say the least.

JR: “They’re right above us folks! And I don’t like it a damn bit.”
You all know this memorable spot. It doesen`t get old, not ever. You can rewind it a hundred times consecutively and it`ll be just as amazing every single time.

The Undertaker throws Mankind off the top of the Cell and he crashes down sixteen feet through the announce table. Yeah…
Jim Ross screams his ass off and everyone jumps up in shock as they witnessed the biggest spot in Wrestling history. Biggest spot, biggest bump, biggest moment, biggest shock, everyone of them candidates.
 

JR: “Good God Almighty! Good God Almighty! They killed him! As god as my witness, he is broken in half!”

I still get goosebumps. I don’t get them once, I get them each time it is replayed. The sound of the crowd and picturing what it would be like to be Mick Foley. I can’t even imagine.

The King’s…”Oh my god” wasn’t his usual “Oh My God” it was a “Oh My God” as if someone has just been killed in front of his very eyes.

There was a delay in the action but no one cared as they just witnessed something no one ever thought would be possible.
A concerned “Have I gone too far” McMahon comes out breaking kayfabe to check on Mick. Terry Funk among others help Mick to the back as everyone cheers and chant for The Undertaker.

JR apologizes and The King questions how on earth anyone could apologize after seeing something like that!

But it`s not over yet.

Foley is coming back! Foley is coming back!

No one could believe it. Not only is he coming back but he CLIMBS to the top of the Cell again displaying tremendous guts.

Everyone loves it.

The Undertaker seems to like this idea meeting Mick up there once more.

Taker this time doesen`t waste any time sending Mick straight back to hell.

It`s rumored this spot wasn`t meant to happen but either way it`s irrelevant, it`s beyond violent and actually temporarily knocks Mankind out.

Undertaker chokeslams Mankind on the top of the Cell, THROUGH THE CELL! To the mat! Where a chair hit him in the face on the way down knocking him out as well as some of his teeth.

Absolutely brutal.

King: “That’s it…he’s dead.”

This is still incredible watching today.

Taker looks down at a knocked out Mick Foley.

Ross screams “Will somebody stop the damn match!” If chills don`t flow through your body then you`re simply not human.

Another little break happens in the match as everything thinks it has stopped again but they were wrong once more.
Taker jumps down with his injured leg and all, and limps around before going back to work on Mankind as no one can believe this thing is continuing.

Mankind was layed out.

Undertaker hits Old School.

Mick gets back to his feet and actually cameback with an offensive charge sending Taker off the apron.
Mankind is smiling but eventually drops the steps because he couldn’t support the weight after all this punishment.

Undertaker beats the hell out of Mick who looks like he just got hit by 10 trucks. There’s that shot of him sitting in the corner of the ring with his tooth in his nose and his body all bloodied with a smile from earlier on which was memorable.

He actually took a right hand by the Undertaker but since he was semi-concussed he fell before Taker even hit him. Foley said “The lights were on but nobody was home.” on his DVD “Greatest hits and Misses.” Which is a great DVD by the way…(Cheap plug for Foley’s DVD as he’d like that sort of thing.

As if that wasn`t enough, Taker hit Foley in the side with steel steps and he crashed into the side of the Cell.

Undertaker takes Mick into the ring and drops him with more shots and then grabs a bag.

Thumbtacks!

Jim Ross feels sick by this point as the Deadman spreads thousands around the canvas floor.

Foley`s battered and broken down body was then slammed hard back first through thousands of tacks!
 
Not once, but twice!

 

He got chokeslammed hard on them next as the crowd exploded once more. A bloodied and broken Foley rolls around and screams on in agony as it became a bit disturbing by this point.

I could literally FEEL his pain while I watch it and that’s another reason most guys in the back and fans all over the wrestling world couldn’t believe what they had seen.
Everyone took note of a sight like this, the casual fan and even the average person.
 
The Undertaker pinned Mankind in the end after a Tombstone Piledriver at 17:38 to win the Hell in a Cell war.
 

People can go on about this being just a “Two-bump” match. In REALITY this was the toughest performance by two men ever in one Wrestling match and it was a series of events that went above and beyond what most people could physically handle.

A historic bloodbath that got the whole world talking. It got a lot of WCW fans interested in the WWF as well. DDP said it best “If they weren’t going to show it, we would have.” It was good for professional wrestling and it was the defining moment in the career of Mick Foley.

This isn’t THE BEST Hell in a Cell of all time (It’d go in my top 5 for brutality alone) but it is definitely the most historic and will NEVER be forgotten. It’s still talked about on a daily basis.

Words don`t do this type of Spectacle justice. It is though a timeless classic by all means…
 

 

 **** 1/4

 

 
 
 

9) Main Event- Stone Cold Steve Austin (c) vs Kane (W/Paul Bearer) for the World Wrestling Federation Championship in a First Blood Match

 
I’m not sure how you could possibly follow that type of brutality but they still had the fans ready for the Main Event.

Austin had been hospitalized with an infection and spent the good portion of a Week in the Hospital before this one.

This had to be his toughest challenge to this point from a kayfabe standpoint when Kane still had credibility.

Kane still talked with a voice box and said the blood would be for real at King of the Ring! (While they showed clips of him dropping blood from the rafters onto Austin in the middle of the ring from Raw in the video package)

Steve gets a god-like ovation here during the peak of his popularity.

Austin had said he had been bloodied before and he wasn’t afraid to be again.

Steve said it was Vince’s way of stacking the odds against him since Kane was covered in a suit and mask so it would make it hard for him to bleed.
When Austin came out to a thunderous roar he ducked Kane’s initial attack of a clothesline and came off the ropes with a great deal of momentum and the crowd behind him as he hit the Lou

Thesz Press.

 

Austin had an infection in his elbow at the time and was in the Hospital for a few days before this and the crowd chanted for “Austin” extremely loud as Kane was choking him out in the corner.

Austin clotheslined Kane as he got back to his feet and then got irishwhipped to the ropes by Kane. Kane then went for a tombstone but Austin landed on his feet and threw Kane over the top rope and he landed on his feet out on the floor. Stone Cold Steve Austin with hard right hands to monster Kane and then slammed him head first into the steps in attempt to SOMEHOW bust him open. I’m not exactly sure how Steve intended to make Kane draw blood in this one if I’m being honest. The leather mask provided him with some protection one would assume.

The Cell then began to lower and Ross says we saw enough of it for one night, but the blood thirsty fans of the Attitude Era would probably disagree.

Kane dropped Austin on the security railing. Kane threw Austin against the ring apron and then hard into the steps as Steve takes some good bumps for the condition he was in. Kane then in control as the Cell was lowering. Austin hit Kane with hard rights and then Kane irishwhipped Austin face first into the Cell that had almost finished lowering.

The Cage had almost lowered completely on Austin as Kane was choking him out. Kane then slammed his head into the Cell. The Cell was completely lowered.
Kane then hit Austin with a hard uppercut and then irish whipped him hard into the Cell again.

Flesh off of Steel over and over and Austin looked tired probably due to his tempature at the time. Kane again threw him into the steps. Austin was bloody on his back but JR said that the ref wouldn’t stop the match over something minor.

Austin then sent Kane hard into the door of the Cell and then the Cell was starting to raise and Kane was hung on the Cell and he grabbed Austin by the nack as he was hung!
 

 
Austin then got Kane out of that predicament and then they brawled in the entrance way and Austin slammed Kane hard into the railing on both sides. Austin went for a piledriver to Kane but The Big Red Machine countered by elevating the Rattlesnake up and over with a back bodydrop onto the concrete floor.

Steve hit the concrete floor back first and they show Vince with Sable from a luxory box smiling as he liked what he was seeing. Again, Austin is bumping quite well for the shape he was in, being sick and bruised down as it was which is impressive but then again he was carrying the entire company at this point so you’d have to expect nothing less from him here.
Kane with a series of hard shots to Steve and he falls to his bad back on the King of the Ring entrance stage. Kane then went for a suplex but Austin tried reversing it and then Kane landed one on the ramp way! Austin hit another hard shot to his back that had already been bloodied, as the Austin chants continue.
Austin and Kane battling near the entrance way as there were obviously no count outs in a First Blood Match.

Austin then down on his stomach and Kane picked up a piece of the security railing and then dropped it on his head and then Kane hit him with another hard right hand. McMahon obviously cheering for Kane smiles some more as we are shown him once again. Austin with hard right hands to Kane and then he kicked him in the mid-section and slammed his head against the corner in an attempt to fight back as Pittsburgh roars.

The Cell was still halfway down, and Austin then tossed Kane to the outside of the ring and he hit hard and began walking up the entrance way again and then Austin slammed Kane into the guard railing again. Austin then slammed Kane’s head near the timekeeper’s table and dropped him face first on the announce table. Austin then slammed Kane head first into the table in attempt to bust him open. Kane quickly answered back as he threw Austin out of desperation into the guardrail and it knocked the ref out as he was in the way.

Kane then jumped off the top rope and hit Austin with a big clothesline. Gasoline was surrounding the ringside area because of course the stipulation here was that if Kane had lost he had  to set himself on fire.

Kane then jumped off the top rope with a flying clothesline attempt again but he missed and Austin just stomped away on him and threw his head into the buckle and kicked away at his mid-section to take the big man off his feet.

Mankind then ran to the ring with a Chair as if he hadn’t gone through enough on the night. Austin then stunnered Mankind to a loud roar. Stone Cold flipped him off but then found himself in a bad way as he walks directly into a chokeslam attempt from Kane but he caught the Stunner as well as Stone Cold countered!
Kane is down and then Taker then walked out in a shirt with a chair as he limps to the ring.

Taker had a chair and went to hit Mankind but ended up hitting Austin and it hit his chair which busted him open. Taker beat on Kane and Mankind who were afterall his two greatest rivals of all time.

Taker poored Gas on the ref and then Kane hit his brother with a chair. Kane went for Austin with a chair and then Austin hit a flying clothesline on Kane, carnage everywhere. Austin hit Kane with a chair extremely hard.

Hebner got up and asked to ring the bell.

Austin was bleeding and they made Kane the new WWF Champion at 14:52.

Austin’s facial expression said it all. He’d go on to win the title back just 24 hours later to one of the loudest roars in Raw history. The title simply should not be on anyone other then him during this time period. That would be like making John Lennon the opening act in a concert during his peak.

This was a great little attitude brawl. Unfortunately it was all downhill from here for Glen Jacobs until the Summer of 2010 if you want to count that.
 
 
***
 

 

 

Final Rating for WWF King of the Ring 1998 = 7.5/10
 
This show will always be remembered for the Hell in a Cell.
It`s worth owning for that spectacle alone but there was a few extra matches on this event that make it worth it as well.

 It is arguably one of the greatest King of the Ring events out there (Along with 93, 94, 96 and 2001) and the one that defined the term -“Attitude” the very best during the transition of that era.

 
 

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